Arc-lamp.



0. A. B. HALVORSON, JR.

ARC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1907.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Inventor": Cromwell ABH Ivorson Jr:

Witnesses:

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0. A. B. HALVORSON, JR.

ARC LAMP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1907.

1,010,900, Patented Dec.5, 1911.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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Witnesse s= Invent or- 4% CPWalvorsonJr; z 3 W fittvy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CROMWELL A. B. HALVORSON, JR., OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ARC-LAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Application filed March 7, 1907. Serial No. 361,050.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CROMWELL A. B. HAL- VORSON, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arc-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric arc lamps and has for its object to improve the construction and operation of the same.

In the ordinary luminous arc lamp having a negative electrode of magnetite, titanium compound or similar materials which give a luminous or flaming arc, the amount of light which can be obtained from a single arc lSl;llIl'lltd by the amount of energy which can be effectively consumed in the are without over-heating the negative electrode so as to cause it to melt at the end and produce a disagreeable flickering of the are. In order to secure. a satisfactory and efiicient high-energy lamp of this character it is therefore necessary to make use of a plurality of arcs, and in one of its aspects my invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of lamp parts whereby a plurality of arcs may be efi'ectively operated in unison so as to produce an intense high-energy light without having recourse to individual high-energy arcs.

Since it may not always be necessary or desirable to use the maximum amount of light which may be obtained in a lamp of the character described, the present invention contemplates means whereby different intensities of light may be obtained; and therefore, in another aspect,- the present invention may be considered as relating to an arc lamp so arranged that the light emanating therefrom may be varied in intensity.

While, specifically, my invention comprises a lamp having a pluralit of .pairs of electrodes and a plurality 0 arcs, the method of feeding and controlling each set of electrodes is applicable to lamps having but a single pair of electrodes and a single arc; and, "in a further aspect, my invention may therefore be considered as comprising a novel arrangement for regulating and controlling a pair of electrodes in such a manner that the are between them remains focused at a given point.

I prefer to obtain the increased intensity of light by connecting a plurality of sets of in its various aspects, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lamp arranged in accordance with a preferred form of my invention,-the casing and globe being removed; Fig. 2 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a diagram of connections, the lamp mechanism being shown conventionally, and Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a modification.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the hood of an arc lamp and 2 the platform;

these are connected together by means of theusual central chimney 3 which also forms the backbone in the lamp. Beneath the platform and in alinement with the chimney is an enlarged bell-shaped fume box 4 across which extends the supporting member 5 of the positive electrodes. The member 5 is arranged within vertical slots 6 in the walls of the fume box so as to be capable of limited vertical movements; normally'it rests on stops such as cotter pins 7. Near the middle of this member are two electrodes 8 and 9 arranged parallel with each other and with the axis of the lamp. These electrodes'may be of copper.

10 and 11 are the negative electrodes which cooperate, respectively,: with the electrodes 8 and 9. The electrode 10 is sup ported upona holder 12 of any usual form carried upon the lower end. of a tube 13 which projects upward through the platform 2 and is guided upon a rod 14 which projects downward from the hood and into the tube. To the upper endof theelectrode:

.supporting tube is fasteneda flexible cable 15, which .passes over a pulley 16. and has there secured thereto a counterweight 17 The parts are so proportioned that the counterweight tends normally to lift the electrode 10.

18 is a clutch of any suitable kind supported upon a bracket 19 and acted upon by a spring 20 to lock the tube 13 and therefore the electrode 10 against upward movement.

The electrode 11 is supported and controlled in exactly the same way as electrode 10, that is, it is mounted in a holder 12* carried upon the lower end of a tube 13 and this tube passes upward through the platform and is guided upon a rod 1 1*. A counterweight 17*, secured to one end of a flexible cable 15 which passes over a pulley 16- and has its other end secured to the upper end of the tube 13, serves to move the electrode 11 upward.

18 is a clutch similar to clutch 18 mounted upon a bracket 19 and actuated by a spring 20. 4

Separate regulating magnets 21 and 21 are supported in any suitable manner on the lamp frame. These magnets have movable members, such as cores, 22 and 22", re-

spectively. These cores are connected to.

the ends of the electrode supporting member 5 by means of links 23 and 23, respectively. The connection between each of the links and the electrode-supporting member is preferably in the form of a pivot 24, so that the electrode-supporting member may move angularly with respect to each of the supporting links. The clutches 18 and 18, which normally hold the two lower electrodes stationary, are tripped by fingers 25 and 25* which may conveniently be formed on 01 connected to the respective cores of the electromagnets. The parts are so proportioned that when the eleotromagnets are deenergized, each of the fingers engages with and trips its respective clutch, so that the lower electrodes are then free to be drawn upward through the action of the counterweights. When the magnets are energized, however, the cores are drawn upward, carrying with them the upper electrodes so as to strike the arc. This movement of the cores releases the clutches from their tripping means and permits them to again lock the lower electrodes against movement. As the lamp burns, the lower electrodes are consumed and, after a time,

the electromagnets are deenergized through the breaking of the 'arcs or in any other suitable way; whereupon the upper electrodes drop until they are brought to rest on the supports at the lower end ofthe fume box. At the same. time the clutches are released and the lower electrodes, whose ends are now some distance below the ends of the upper electrodes, begin to move upward. When the lower electrodes again engage with the upper electrodes, the magnets are energized andthe arcs struck as before. The upper electrodes, it will be seen, float above the lower electrodes and approach or recede as the electrical conditions vary. Although each of the floating electrodes is suspended from both cores, its control is dependent entirely upon its own electromagnet, since a movement of either core without a corresponding movement of the other core simply causes the electrode-supporting member to oscillate about one of its pivotal'suppor ts so that it is raised at one end without being raised at the other. Thus the electrode near the end which has been raised is given an appreciable movement, while the other electrode being near the pivot is given but an inconsiderable movement.

The electrical connections are indicated in Fig. 3; In this figure 26 and 27 are the positive and negative mains of a constant potential circuit, and 28 is a switch device for connecting the lamp in circuit. This switch is of peculiar construction so that either or both of the regulating magnets and the corresponding electrodes may be included in circuit. This switch consists of two movable arms 29* and 30 which are insulated from each other. The arm 30 swings over a segment 31 which is connected'to line 27 and the arm 29 moves overa group of stationary contacts, some of which are connected to line 26 and others to theterminals of the lamp. The arrangement is such that there are three stationary contacts 32, 33

and 34 which are connected to line 26. Be-

side the contact 32 and also beside the contact 33, are two contacts 35 and 36, respectively, which are connected to one terminal. of the regulating magnet 21 through a suitable steadying resistance 37. Adjacent the contacts 33 and 34 are two contacts 38 and 89, respectively, which are connected to one terminal of the regulating magnet 21" "through a second steadying resistance 40.

The remaining terminal of the regulating magnet 21 is connected to positive electrode 8, while'the corresponding terminal of the other regulating magnet is connected to the electrode 9. The electrodes 10 and 11 are connected in parallel to the switch arm 30. v

In the position shown the lamp is open circuited. Upon turning the two switch arms in the counterclockwise direction, the arm 29 bridges contacts 32 and 35.and a circuit may be traced from line 26 through the lamp. If the switch is placed in its.

third operative position, so as to bridge contacts 34 and 39, the left-hand half of the lamp is cut out and the right-hand half is energized. In order to prevent current from flowing through either set of electrodeswhenthe corresponding regulating magnet 1s cut.

out, the electrodes 8 and 9 are insulated from the common support by any suitable insulating material at 41 and 42. If it were desired to always operate both halves of the lamp in unison, no insulation would, of course, be required between these electrodes and their common support. The parts in the diagram are shown in the positions which they occupy when no current is flow,- ing. Assuming that the switch is turned to its. first position, cutting in the left-hand half of the lamp, current would flow through the steadying resistance, coil of the regulating magnet 21 and electrodes 8 and 10 in series with each other in the manner previously described. The regulating magnet, being energized, operates to lift its core, thereby causing the electrodesupporting member 5 to be oscillated about its pivotal support on the link 23. At the same time the clutch 18 is permitted to come into engagement with the tube carrying the lower electrode so that upward movement of this electrode is prevented. The upward movement of the core continues until the.

ends of the electrodes 8 and 10 are separated a distance equal to the normal arc length. Asthe electrical conditions of the circuit change, the upper electrode is moved up and down so as to maintain the arc steady; and as the lower electrode consumes,-the"upper electrode follows after it until brought to rest or until the arc breaks. As soon as the electrode-supporting member has reached its normal position of rest, namely, the position shown, either through the breaking of the arc and the subsequent denergization of the regulating magnet, or

through the gradual feeding of the upper electrode, the clutch of the lower electrode is tripped and the,,lower electrode is caused to be fed upward until it engages with the upper electrode.' The are is then struck as before; If the switch is brought to its third operative position, the right-hand half of the lamp comes into play and an arc is formed and maintained between the electrodes 9 and 11; the electrode-support5 in this instance swinging about the pivotal connection-24 with the link 23. When the switch occupies its intermediate position, both halves of the lamp become operative and arcs are established between each pair of electrodes. In this instance the electrode-support 5 is lifted bodily so that it remains at all times substantially horizontal. Each arc is, however, regulated by the corconditions change, oscillates. the electrode support slightly about its pivotal support on the core of the other regulating magnet.

In order to permit the electrodes 8 and 9 to make metallic contact with the heat radiating member 5, the electrical connections may be altered so as to interchange the connections between the switch and the two electrodes and also between the switch and the supply current. This may be done in the manner indicated in Fig. 4. In this modification the electrodes 8 and 9 are not insulated from their heat-radiating support 5. The changes in the circuit connections thereby necessitated are so clearly shown in this figure of drawing that no further description is necessary.

While I have described in detail only a preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the particular form shown, since in its broader aspects my invention may take various other forms as will be evident from the definitions thereof in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In an arc lamp, a pair of elect-romagnets having movable members, an electrode-sup port pivotally connected at each end to one of said members, a pair of electrodes carried by said electrode-support, and a second pair of electrodes cooperating with the first air.

p 2. In an arc lamp, a pair of electromagnets having movable members, an electrode support pivotally connected at each end to one of said members, a pair of electrodes carriedby said support, a second pair of electrodes, and separate circuits each including an electromagnet and one of the electrodes of each pair.

3. In an arc lamp, a pair of electromagnets'having movable members, an electrodesupport supported at its opposite ends by said members, a pair of electrodes carried by said support, a second pair of electrodes, and means for energizing said electromagnets independently of each other.

4. In an arc lamp, a pair of electromagnets having movable members, an electrodesupport pivotally connected at each end to one of said members, a pair of electrodes mounted on said supports, a second pair, of electrodes, and conductors for connecting each electromagnet in a circuit in series with one electrode of each pair.

5. In an arc lamp, a pair of electromagnets having movable cores, an electrodesupport pivotally suspended from the cores of said electromagnets, a pair of electrodes mounted on said support, a second pair of electrodes, means tending to move the latter electrodes toward the former, and clutch 'mechanism arranged to hold 'said latter electrodes stationary when their arcing ends reach a predetermined fixed point.

6. In an arc lamp, a pair of electromagnets having movable cores, an electrode-support pivotally suspended from the cores of said electromagnets, a pair of electrodes mounted on said support, a second pair of electrodes, and means associated with said electromagnets for controlling the latter electrodes.

7. In an arc lamp, a pair of electromagnets having movable cores, an electrode-support pivotally suspended from the cores of said electromagnets, a pair of electrodes mounted upon said support, a second pair of electrodes, means tending to move the latter electrodes toward the other electrodes, clutch mechanisms for restraining said second pair of electrodes, and means associated with each of said electromagnets for controlling one of said clutch mechanisms.

8. In'an arc lamp, a pair of electromagnets having movable members, an electrodesupport pivotally suspended from said members, a pair of electrodes on said support, a second pair of electrodes, and means for energizing either of said electromagnets independently of the other.

9. In an arc lamp, a pair of electromag- I nets having movable members, an electrodesupport pivotally suspended from said members, a pair of electrodes on said support, a

second pair of electrodes, and means for. energizing either of said electromagnets alone or both together.

10. In an arc lam-p, a pair of electromagnets, an electrode-support pivotally suspended horizontally from the cores of said members, a pair of non-consuming electrodes .on said support, a pair of electrodes arranged beneath the first pair and arranged to be gravity-actuated toward them, a clutch for each of said gravity-actuated electrodes, and means for causing each of said clutches to lock its electrode when the arcing end thereof reaches a predetermined point.

11. In an arc lamp, a pair of electromagnets having movable cores, an electrode-support pivotally suspended horizontally from the cores of said members, a pair of non-consuming electrodes on said support, a pair of electrodes arranged beneath the first pair and arranged to be gravity-actuated toward them, a clutch for each of said gravity-actuated electrodes, and means ibr energizing either of said electromagnets independently of the other. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of March, 1907.

GROMWELL A. B. HALVORSON, JR.

Witnesses:

- JOHN A. MCMANUS, J r.,

PHILIP F. HARRINGTON. 

